Fri Jun 13 20:04:51 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Top IRGC Commander Hossein Salami Killed in Israeli Airstrike, Raising Tensions

**Tehran, Iran** – Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in Israeli airstrikes on Thursday, marking a significant escalation in regional tensions. Salami, a longtime confidant of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had led the IRGC since 2019.

Salami’s death was confirmed by Iranian state news agency IRNA, with the IRGC issuing a statement mourning the “unjust martyrdom” of the commander. The airstrikes, which also reportedly targeted top military figures and nuclear scientists, triggered an immediate response from Iran, which launched ballistic missiles at Israel, a weapon Salami himself played a crucial role in developing.

Salami rose through the ranks of the IRGC, having served in the Iran-Iraq war and later commanding the IRGC Aerospace Force, overseeing the development of ballistic missiles and drone technology. He was sanctioned by the United States, the United Nations, Canada, and the European Union for his role in missile development, suppressing anti-government protests, and supplying drones to Russia.

Under Salami’s leadership, the IRGC strengthened the “Axis of Resistance,” a network of allied countries and groups across the Middle East, including Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthi rebels. He was known for his aggressive rhetoric, declaring, “We have plans to defeat the world powers.”

Following Salami’s death, Ahmad Vahidi was announced as his successor. While experts acknowledge the disruption caused by the loss of such a senior and experienced commander, analysts suggest that the existing structure of the Iranian military and security apparatus remains largely intact.

“On a human level you will have gaps of knowledge… But it’s difficult to destroy an existing structure,” Reza H Akbari, Middle East and North Africa programme manager at the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, told Al Jazeera.

The assassination of Hossein Salami and the subsequent Iranian missile strikes have significantly heightened tensions in the region, raising concerns about a potential wider conflict. The international community is closely monitoring the situation, urging restraint from both sides and calling for de-escalation.

Read More